Autumn 2018 Issue
> Streamline, Consolidate, Accelerate:
Winning Formula for Optical Experts “I have a particularity,” says Afflelou Group CEO Didier Pascual. “I am 55 years old and I have only worked for three employers.”
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t's part of Didier Pascual’s character; he is in for the long-haul. “I started in public accountancy – auditing – and that forged in me aspects of rigour, a respect for rules, and a code of ethics.”
He joined his second employer, GiFi (a French chain that sells low-cost products for the home) in 1991, and remained there until 2003. Didier describes it as “a beautiful adventure” and a great grounding. “Then someone told me one day about a job opportunity in Paris for the Afflelou Group,” he recalls. “Even though I did not want to move to Paris, the brand Alain Afflelou was very attractive to me. Then I met Alain (Afflelou) himself – and I said yes. Fifteen years later I don’t regret it.” Didier Pascual has been group CEO for six months now, “and I am thrilled about that”. He says he is proud to work for a company that has a total of 1,474 stores, 500 of them abroad, the rest in France. He, and the company, benefit from this international influence. “We intend to streamline, consolidate and accelerate our international development, as we are receiving requests from all countries on all continents. We must sometimes say no – victims of our success! “When we develop new countries, we look carefully at the opportunities and we take as an example the success of Spain. We recently set up Colombia, we will be soon in Kuwait and we have had a great success in Vietnam, among other countries.” Didier Pascual considers himself fortunate to be surrounded by a great team. “We have a very competent executive committee, with members who each lead a business unit,” he says. “There is a great fusion between the different directors. We also have a very efficient product team, allowing us to always stay at height of fashion while keeping prices very attractive for our customers.” Communication is a key factor in the Afflelou Group. Advertising is the core of the activity, masterfully managed by founder Alain Afflelou. “Our company DNA is also largely marked by permanent innovation in the optical and the audio prosthetic sectors,” says Didier Pascual.
CEO: Didier Pascual Photo: Romuald Meigneux
Beyond the fashion scope, eyeglasses are necessary to correct vision that tends to decline from the age of 50 – and these customers are also people who may experience hearing loss. “We see a tremendous opportunity for development in the audio-prosthetic market. This is a sector that we strive to highlight with dedicated points-ofCFI.co | Capital Finance International
sale or special corners in optical stores. We only hire and work with qualified hearing specialists.” Whatever the country in which Afflelous is developing, the goal is to gain a market share, while continuing to improve a high level of service. i 81